Jake Paul has identified his “biggest mistake’’ related to his heavyweight fight against Anthony Joshua.

No, it is not failing to get his gloves up before Joshua delivered the knockout blow and broke Paul’s jaw in two places in Round 6.

Rather, Paul said he should have trained at high altitude before the fight Dec. 19 in Miami that was livestreamed by Netflix.

“That was my biggest mistake,’’ he said during a podcast co-hosted by his brother, Logan, that was published Dec. 23.

In the first two rounds of the bout, Paul moved briskly around the ring, and Joshua struggled to land punches. But when Paul started to fatigue, Joshua caught up to him and the punches began to connect. Hard.

Joshua knocked Paul down two times in the fifth round and knocked him down two times in the sixth round. That included the knockout blow.

“Yeah, I was doing good,’’ Paul said before addressing what went wrong. “I just think my cardio, just the mental pressure of the big guy.’’

Paul said he felt good about his training camp and added, “But I just needed to have that extra level of cardio for this and that can only come from going to altitude.’’

The podcast was taped Saturday, Dec. 20, a few hours after Paul had surgery on his jaw, said his mother, Pam, who was on the podcast. Paul looked dazed during his appearance but talked in detail about the fight.

During training camp, Paul sparred with heavyweights. But during the fight, Paul and Joshua wore 10-ounce gloves – considerably smaller than the gloves worn during sparring.

“So I was feeling his power a lot more,’’ Paul said of Joshua. “…. I learned a lot, and I see where I could have done better. I’m a little disappointed, but I also know how good he is.’’

Toward the end of his app;earance, Paul also reiterated his intent to continue boxing but provided no timeable for his return.

• The Pro Football Hall of Fame seems long overdue for New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
• Second-year Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams has helped his team pull out numerous last-minute wins in 2025.
• Mike Tomlin rebounded from shouts to be fired to lead the Steelers to yet another winning season.

‘Tis the season to be sentimental. Having resisted the temptation of devising an NFL naughty-or-nice list, it’s all about spreading cheer here. At least this time.

Thus, some special holiday greetings to …

Coach Prime: Major props to Deion Sanders for being so transparent about winning his battle against bladder cancer, which undoubtedly inspired others to assess personal health symptoms and get checked out. Then there was Shedeur. Insinuations that the father-coach was somehow a negative in the draft assessment of his son were over the top. And now that we’ve seen the quarterback in action, it’s even more of a shame that he paid for it with a draft-day tumble.

Warrick Dunn: Nearly three decades since launching his “Homes for the Holidays” project, the former running back dynamo is still assisting single mothers in buying — and furnishing — their first homes. Dunn, whose mission is rooted in paying homage to his late mother, recently delivered his 250th home to a single mother in Atlanta.

Robert Kraft: Once again, the Patriots owner is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the contributor’s category. The honor is long overdue for a man who not only has so much Super Bowl hardware but has been such a major powerbroker in the league when it comes to striking media contracts and labor pacts. If Al Davis, Eddie DeBartolo, Jerry Jones and Pat Bowlen are among owners with busts in Canton, Kraft surely ranks, too.

Mike Tomlin: Keep watching. That response from the Steelers coach a few weeks ago, when fans in the stands shouted for him to be fired during a despicable home loss against Buffalo — which also prompted Steelers legends Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison to question his effectiveness — will probably wind up as a slogan on a T-shirt. Since that setback, the Steelers have won three in a row and Tomlin made it 19-for-19 in years he has coached the team without suffering a losing season. And what a gift Tomlin has in Aaron Rodgers, who might be just the heady QB the Steelers need to end the playoff W drought.

Lem Barney: What’s Going On? You might not realize that Detroit’s Hall of Fame cornerback’s voice can be heard on the intro chatter for Marvin Gaye’s signature Motown hit. Have never forgotten the zeal he had, too, decades later in recalling his connection to the musical legend. And Barney’s voice became a classic in another sense as he has been traditionally tapped to deliver prayers before Hall of Fame ceremonies.

Patrick Mahomes: As if the Chiefs missing the playoffs for the first time since he became the starting quarterback wasn’t enough, the three-time Super Bowl MVP is off to an offseason to be dominated by rehab as he aims to rebound from a torn ACL. Tough break. It might be the end of an era, but at least KC can try starting a new one with a supreme building block: an ultra-determined quintessential leader.

Micah Parsons: It’s too bad that after being dealt by the Cowboys after so much offseason drama, the premier defensive end had his mission to lead the Packers to a Super Bowl derailed by a torn ACL. Stuff happens. But at least Parsons got his bag — a 4-year, $186 million deal that makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history — before going down with the major knee injury.

Brock Purdy: Last year, the 49ers QB gifted new trucks to his offensive linemen for Christmas. Smart. Kind of a know-where-bread-is-buttered move. This year, the 49ers QB embodied a quintessential Oprah moment as he teamed with Toyota to present nine trucks as gifts to families in need. What a cool gesture.

Drew Pearson: It has been 50 years since the Cowboys’ Hall of Fame receiver hauled in the “Hail Mary” from Roger Staubach and there are people in Minnesota and former Vikings players who still contend it wasn’t a legal catch. Pushed off? Maybe in today’s NFL, there would have been some hi-def camera angle providing conclusive evidence. Or not. Regardless, it still counts and Pearson goes down as one of the classiest men I have ever covered — albeit thankfully while not trying to defend a “Hail Mary” heave.

Bills Mafia: With Mahomes and the Chiefs out of the way, is this the year that Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills get over the hump and into the Super Bowl? I know my peeps in Buffalo are praying on it. In any event, with new digs coming next year, it’s been quite a dramatic, table-slamming final season at Highmark Stadium.

Dak Prescott and Solomon Thomas: Long before the Dallas Cowboys suffered the heartbreaking loss of Marshawn Kneeland to death by suicide, Prescott and Thomas committed much energy and resources toward mental health awareness and suicide prevention, having lost siblings to suicide. No doubt, when tragedy struck the Cowboys, the internal leadership from the veteran players was beneficial.

Caleb Williams: The presence complementing the growth of the second-year Bears quarterback has been fun to watch as they keep pulling out last-minute wins. That he’s flourished under new coach Ben Johnson proves that, well, Williams certainly wasn’t the problem while some seemed ready to call him a bust after being drafted No. 1 overall. And now he’s 2-2 against the dreaded Packers. Williams showed something, too, in passing out food to needy families the day after that dramatic win over Green Bay — and while wearing a Cheesehead at that.

Cameron Dicker: Love the spirit of “Dicker the Kicker,” who earned his first Pro Bowl honor this week as the steady leg for the L.A. Chargers. Yet not only is the high-energy Dicker money with his leg — he has the highest field goal success rate in NFL history (94.7%, minimum 100 attempts) and is 36-of-38 this season — he has made a mark for community service, too. And hey, the dude’s campaign video in 2023 didn’t land him in the Pro Bowl that year, but it is indeed a classic that went viral.

Darrell Green: The Commanders Hall of Fame cornerback, through his family foundation, continues to be a blessing for dozens of needy children in the Washington, D.C. area with his annual Christmas dinner and gift giveaway. He’s done this for roughly 30 years. If you know Green and his purpose as a community servant, that’s hardly a surprise. Kudos, brother.

Merry-Happy-Joy to all.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X @JarrettBell.

It’s Christmas Eve! We’re less than 24 hours away from a terrific slate of NBA games.

The NBA is known for bringing holiday cheer with tremendous matchups on Christmas Day. This year is no different, with young stars like Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg playing in Thursday’s contests, as well as superstars like Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and many more.

Here’s everything to know for the NBA on Christmas Day 2025.

How to watch the NBA on Christmas 2025

Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks

• Time: Noon ET
• Where: Madison Square Garden (New York)
• TV: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2
• Stream: Disney+, Fubo

San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder

• Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City)
• TV: ABC, ESPN
• Stream: Fubo

Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors

• Time: 5 p.m. ET
• Where: Chase Center (San Francisco)
• TV: ABC, ESPN
• Stream: Fubo

Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers

• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles)
• TV: ABC, ESPN
• Stream: Fubo

Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Ball Arena (Denver)
• TV: ABC, ESPN
• Stream: Fubo

Stream the NBA on Christmas Day with a Fubo subscription

It will be a full circle moment for the two coaches in the 2025 Hawai’i Bowl.

Hawai’i and California will square off at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu on Wednesday, Dec. 24. It’s not only a familiar place for the Rainbow Warriors – playing in their home stadium – but for the coach of the Golden Bears.

Interim Cal coach Nick Rolovich used to call it home as a former Hawai’i quarterback. What’s even crazier is another quarterback on the roster was Timmy Chang, now the coach of the Rainbow Warriors. They have gone from former teammates to now coaching against each other in a special moment for both sides.

‘You probably couldn’t have written this a few years back,’ Rolovich said on Monday, Dec. 22.

How long were Nick Rolovich and Timmy Chang teammates?

Rolovich and Chang were teammates at Hawai’i for two seasons, 2000 and 2001. Chang was a freshman in 2000 and Rolovich was a junior after transferring from City College of San Francisco.

Both quarterbacks played in 2000 before Rolovich became the starter in 2001. After Rolovich left, Chang became the starting quarterback from 2002-04.

Nick Rolovich Hawai’i stats

After playing in just four games in 2000, Rolovich took over the starting duties in the middle of the 2001 season. He played in 10 games threw for 3,361 yards with 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions, leading Hawai’i to a 9-3 record that included ranked wins over Fresno State and Brigham Young.

In 14 career games, Rolovich had 4,176 passing yards with 40 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Timmy Chang Hawai’i stats

Chang was the primary starter in 2000, playing in 10 games but appeared in just three contests in 2001 as Rolovich took over.

Chang became the starter in 2002 after Rolovich departed. He went on to have a magical career for the Rainbow Warriors, throwing for more than 4,000 yards and at least 25 touchdowns in each season from 2002-04. He led Hawai’i to a 10-win season in 2022, nine in 2003 and eight in 2004 with three consecutive trips to the Hawai’i Bowl. He led his team to bowl victories in 2003 and 2004 and he was named Hawai’i Bowl Most Valuable Player in both games.

He finished his playing career setting the NCAA record for career passing yards (17,072), touchdowns (117) and completions (1,388). All of those records have been broken, but he still holds the all-time mark for total plays (2,587), passes attempted (2,436) and interceptions (80).

What Nick Rolovich, Timmy Chang said about coaching against each other

The Hawai’i Bowl is already special for Rolovich, as he’s a former Rainbow Warriors coach. But going against a former teammate has given it a deeper meaning.

‘On Wednesday, we will play in the same spot on this island where I first remember throwing with Timmy when he came in as a freshman. The old Cooke Field, the old turf, right in front of the offices, with all the boys in the summertime,’ Rolovich said. ‘I think that makes it even more special that the game’s not only played in Hawai’i, but played kind of right there in that spot.’

Rolovich gave praise to Chang for getting Hawai’i back in a bowl game for the first time in his four-year tenure.

‘I don’t think at that time we thought about coaching against each other,’ he added. ‘I don’t think we could have written that. But when this game grabs you and infects you and gives you that disease, it’s hard to break away, even if you want to. And I think Timmy’s had a grind. I’ve had a grind to get to this point, and it’s just it’s hard to believe that it’s happening. But it is very special for at least me and him and all the boys that played at UH together.’

Chang returned the praised to Rolovich as there were ‘so many things that I learned’ from his teammate. They had a close bond during their playing careers.

‘We went from being roommates on the road and being friends, to now where we are today in our careers. I mean, it’s truly humbling to be in this bowl game. It’s just kids at 18 to 20, 21, years old who came together and now look at us here,’ Chang said. ‘Thank you for the Hawai’i Bowl for bringing us together and being able to share the field like this.’

Cal and Hawai’i will kick off from Honolulu at 8 p.m. ET (3 p.m. HT).

The Hawaii Bowl wasn’t created until shortly after the dawn of the 21st century, but for most of its existence it has occupied this special time slot on the holiday schedule.

This year, for the first time since 2019, the home-town Rainbow Warriors will be part of the festivities. Hawaii’s opponent will be California, whom the Warriors last faced in 2016 in Sydney, Australia. Among the numerous subplots to this contest, Hawaii will look to open and close its season with a sweep of the Bay Area branch of the ACC.

Here’s what you need to know about the game.

Hawaii Bowl: California vs. Hawaii

Time/TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN in Honolulu.

Why watch: There are worse ways to spend Christmas Eve, and bowl organizers are glad to have the Rainbow Warriors back in this event for essentially an extra home game. They’re also glad to welcome back interim Golden Bears’ coach Nick Rolovich, a Hawaii alum and former teammate of Warriors coach Timmy Chang. Anything short of an all-out aerial showcase will be a disappointment given the passing history of the coaches. California freshman QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele does get help on the ground from RB Kendrick Raphael, but WR Jacob De Jesus provides the constant home-run threat. The Warriors’ triggerman is QB Micah Alejado, whose arsenal includes WRs Jackson Harris and Pofele Ashlock. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention Hawaii PK Kansei Matsuzawa, a.k.a. the Tokyo Toe, the self-taught kicker who became an overnight sensation when he hit a winning field goal to beat Stanford way back in August.

Why it could disappoint: The Golden Bears will undoubtedly have a physical edge, but the Warriors have only lost once on their home island this season. Hopefully you’ll be entertained while wrapping those last few presents.

Jake Paul insists he’ll box again despite suffering a broken jaw when he got knocked out by Anthony Joshua. How fast he returns to the ring could hinge on potential complications after recent jaw surgery, according to medical experts.

It does not take a medical expert to envision the potential challenge for the 28-year-old Paul.

People recovering from jaw surgery are supposed to avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting and hard, crunchy or chewy food. But Paul does not fit the profile of the average patient.

The same day he had surgery at the University of Miami hospital, he attended a party at a Miami mansion, according to photos and video published by TMZ.

He said during an interview with his brother, Logan, he might go snowboarding during his time off.

And, of course, he set aside concerns over his health in fighting Joshua, the former world heavyweight champion who broke Paul’s jaw in two places with a knockout punch.

Now Paul faces doctor’s orders.

“So this will require a lot of compliance from his standpoint,’’ Daria Hamrah, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon based in McLean, Virginia, told USA TODAY Sports.

Hamrah — who said he has done thousands of jaw surgeries — is not involved in Paul’s care. But he said he looked at the X-rays posted on social media by Paul, who disclosed he had two titanium plates and screws inserted on either side of his jaw.

“If he’s not compliant, (if) he starts clenching or biting on something that he shouldn’t, those plates and screws, they will break,’’ Hamrah said. “I would make sure I make it clear to him that at no point he should be chewing at anything harder than smoothies.’’ 

The worst-case scenario for Paul, Hamrah said, is the need for another surgery and losing a segment of his jaw that would have to be reconstructed. Not to mention delays in getting back into the boxing ring.

The complication rate for people recovering from jaw surgery could be as high as 20%, according to Omar Abubaker, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry and the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center.

Infection is the enemy

“The mouth is a sewer,’’ said Edward Ellis, Chair and Professor of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

He was not referring to the dirty words Paul uses at press conferences.

Instead, Ellis was referring to the high presence of bacteria in the mouth. “Fortunately,’’ Ellis said, “we also have a very good blood supply in and around the oral cavity, so that kind of helps with that.’’

Nonetheless, about 10 percent of patients have post-operative infection, according to Ellis, who said “so certainly there is a significant risk.’’

Treating the infection often requires the wound be reopened, and complications can involve “the hardware’’ — in Paul’s case, the two titanium plates and screws on either side of his mouth.

“If that happened in the first six weeks or so, one would need to remove the hardware and the dead bone and do a bone graft six to eight weeks later after sufficient healing had occurred to overcome the action,’’ Ellis said, adding “the jaw would not be as strong as a normal jaw for many months.’’

And, in Paul’s case, potentially slow his return to the boxing ring.

Surgeon questions Jake Paul’s procedure

Hamrah, the surgeon from Virginia, said more serious consequences could arise as a result of doctors having used miniplates and mini screws instead of a larger plate. That increases the importance of not biting or clenching something he shouldn’t, according to Hamrah.

“Those plates and screws, they will break … they’re fairly flimsy,’’ he said.

Hamrah said he usually puts a heavier plate on the right side of the jaw to make sure there is no mobility of the two segments of the bone.

“So given the fact that he had a tiny plate (inserted), that would make me as a surgeon a little bit more nervous,’’ he said.

Hamrah speculated that Paul might have opted for miniplates and mini screws because a larger plate would have required an incision on his neck and led to, a possible scar and longer recovery.

Ellis, the Chair in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said he thinks what was done with Paul’s procedure was ‘acceptable.’ He said the larger plates are much more difficult to apply than the miniplates.

“Different surgeons have different methods of treating these injuries, but the one that was done on this patient was an acceptable treatment,’’ Ellis said.

While the early stages of recovery are critical as the jaw bone fuses, the potential complications don’t suddenly disappear, according to Abubaker at Virginia Commonweath University.

‘We do a good job, but…’

‘Even in the long term, to be honest with you, the bone is not 100%, like, ‘Oh, that (fracture) never happened,’ ‘ Abubaker told USA TODAY Sports. ‘It takes a long, long time for that, that you could take an X-ray and say, ‘Oh my God, where is the broken bone? What happened?’

‘It takes months for the bone to be that solid, normally fused completely, and it doesn’t even show on the X-ray. Sometimes one of the screws come loose and we’re going to have to go and take it out. I mean, we do a good job, but unfortunately, not as perfect as the Lord put it together.’

Sometimes, NHL teams must search for the final piece of the puzzle to complete their Stanley Cup masterpiece. The Edmonton Oilers felt compelled to do precisely that when they traded for Tristan Jarry, offloading Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

While it’s still too early to know whether Jarry will help the Oilers clear the final Stanley Cup hurdle, clutch, playoff-proficient goaltenders often represent the difference between inconsolable heartbreak and euphoria. 

The majority of these deals, the five most influential goaltender trades in the history of the NHL, helped the receiving team reach its ultimate goal. Those who didn’t came agonizingly close.

Top 5 influential NHL goalie trades

5. Miikka Kiprusoff to the Calgary Flames (2003)

On Nov. 16, 2003, the Calgary Flames acquired Miikka Kiprusoff from the San Jose Sharks, and they only had to cough up a 2005 second-round pick to make the deal happen. 

Kiprusoff propelled the Flames to the Stanley Cup Final that same season, where they fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games. 

The legendary netminder enjoyed a sparkling .928 save percentage and a 1.85 goals-against average during that equally improbable and impressive playoff run, in which they knocked off the higher-seeded Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings and his former team, the Sharks, en route to the Final.

4. Roberto Luongo to the Vancouver Canucks (2006)

The Vancouver Canucks landed Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek and a sixth-round pick from the Florida Panthers on June 6, 2006, sending Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen and Alex Auld the other way.

As we await the impact of the recent Quinn Hughes deal, the Luongo trade manifested as arguably the most important trade in franchise history. Luongo, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022, won the William Jennings Trophy with the Canucks in 2011, also finishing as a Vezina finalist.

He set various records in Vancouver, including most franchise shutouts (38) and wins (252), coming within a game of securing the Canucks’ first Stanley Cup. In 2011, they lost 4-0 at home in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins.  

3. Dominik Hasek to the Buffalo Sabres (1992)

The under-the-radar trade for Dominik Hasek turned out to be anything but, as ‘The Dominator’ became the Buffalo Sabres’ franchise goaltender, lifting the club to prominence for the duration of his nine seasons there.

Hasek was traded on Aug. 7, 1992, for Stephane Beauregard and a fourth-round pick in the 1993 draft, facilitating one of the most impactful trades in NHL history. 

Hasek led the Sabres to the 1999 Stanley Cup Final and won two Hart Trophies, two Ted Lindsay Awards, two William Jennings Trophies, and six Vezina Trophies during his time in Buffalo.    

2. Dominik Hasek to the Detroit Red Wings (2001)

The Detroit Red Wings got their man on July 1, 2001, trading Vyacheslav Kozlov and a 2002 first-round draft pick.

This deal can be added to the steal-of-the-century category as Hasek led the Red Wings to two Stanley Cups, including in his first season after arriving in Hockeytown. Hasek acquired one more piece of silverware in Detroit, securing his third William Jennings Trophy. 

1. Patrick Roy to the Colorado Avalanche (1995)

The Colorado Avalanche made a move for Patrick Roy on Dec. 6, 1995, landing Mike Keane and the eventual Hall of Famer for goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko. 

Roy won two Stanley Cups with the Avalanche, the first of which came in the same season he landed in Colorado. 

He also backstopped them to the 2001 Stanley Cup, winning the Conn Smythe after the Avs beat the New Jersey Devils in a seven-game thriller. Roy also won the William Jennings Trophy in 2001-02, the season before retiring.